Downtown Abbeville bridge is open for traffic

The La. 14 bridge in downtown Abbeville is once again open for traffic, a move that comes earlier than expected.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced the opening Monday afternoon.
The bridge originally closed on Jan. 20 to allow DOTD crews to make repairs to wires and cables. The state initially announced a Feb. 6 completion date.
“I am pleasantly surprised that they finished ahead of schedule,” Abbeville Mark Piazza said. “I was concerned that the cold weather and freezing temperatures we had last week would delay the progress.
“That obviously is not the case.”
Piazza said he appreciates both the swift work by the DOTD and the patience shown by those who live and work in the area.
“We certainly want to thank the public and the businesses downtown for their patience and cooperation,” Piazza said. “We thank DOTD for working so diligently and making the whole process go so smoothly.”
The bridge, built in 1938, sees an average of 10,600 drivers a day.